Gi.    16!^ 


Duke   University   Libraries 

The  ConscriptJo 
Conf  Pam  #500 

DTT13TST13 


State   Convention — 3rd  Ad.  Ses.]  [May,  1862. 


Ordered  to  be  Printed. 


John  W.  Syme,  Printer  to  the  Convention. 


THE  CONSCRIPTION  ACT— LETTER  FROM  TUE 
SECRETARY  OF  WAR. 


Executive  Department,  > 
Ralekjh,  N.  C,  May  5th,  1862.      \ 

Hon.  Weldon  N.  Edwards, 

President  of  the  Convention: 
1  have  the' honor  to  enclose  to  the  Convention,  through  you. 
a  copy  of  a  letter  addressed  to  me  l)y  the  Secretary  of  War, 
in  answer  to  some  inquiries  about  the  construction  of  the  Con- 
scription Act.  This  lettct"  contains  all  the  information  I  have 
of  the  Law,  except  such  publications  as  have  been  authorized 
by  the  War  Department,  and  published  in  the  newspapers. 
I  have  the  honor  to  be,  most  respectfully, 

HENRY  T.  CLARK. 


)F  AxMERICA,) 

IPARTMENT,  V 

)ril  30th,  1862.  j 


CONFEDERATE  STATES  OF  AxMERICA, 
War  Dbpartm] 
Richmond,  Apr 
His  Excellency, 

Gov.  Henry  T.  Clark, 

Jlalci;/h,  N.  a 
Sir:  Y'our  letter  of  the  24th  instant  was  received  on  yes- 
terday.    In  reply  I  have  the  honor  to  say,  that  the  effect  of 


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2  State  Convention.  [^J^ajj 

tlip  Conscription  Act  is  tu  suspend  calls  oi»  the  States  for 
quotas.  The  number  of  men  between  the  ages  of  18  and  35 
is  assumed  to  be  precisely  in  the  ratio  of  population. 

The  first  effect  of  the  Act  is  to  retain  in  the  service  all  sol- 
diers who  were  there  on  the  16th  April.  The  next,  to  fill  up 
the  regiments  and  companies  with  men  liable  to  military  duty 
under  the  act,  by  replacing  those  men  on  service  who  will  be 
exempt  from  age,  w  ith  those  not  npw  on  service,  not  so  exempt, 
and  thus  to  fill  and  keep  full  the  existing  corps  to  the  maximum 
allowed  by  law.  If  any  States  have  not  enough  regiments  in 
the  service,  or  heretofore  authorized  by  the  Department  to  be 
raised  to  absorb  the  material  between  the  ages  18  and  35,  the 
excess  will  be  collected  in  Camps  of  Instruction,  disciplined, 
and  brought  into  service,  pui'suant  to  section  9  of  the  Act. 

I  will  accept  the  State  Troops  in  their  present  organization, 
to  be  received  on  the  same  footing  Avith  other  regiments  already 
in  the  Confederate  service,  the  men  over  35  and  under  18  to  be 
discharged  within  90  days  from  the  16th  April,  and  their  places 
supplied  from  the  enrolled  Conscripts.  The  right  of  re-organi- 
zation, by  election,  belongs  only  to  12  months  men.  Those 
whose  enlistment  is  for  a  longer  or  a  shorter  period,  remain  in 
the  service  on  their  existing  organizations.  These  general 
remarks  are  supposed  to  answer  several  of  your  specific  inqui- 
ries. The  enroiment  of  Conscripts  will  be  made  as  soon  as  the 
requisite  regulations  can  be  prepared,  in  order  to  relieve  the 
men  now  in  service  who  are  over  35  years  of  age. 

2.  The  State  Troops  will  be  received  as  stated  above. 

3.  Men  over  35  years  of  age  now  in  service  will  be  discharg- 
ed within  90  days.  They  or  others  not  now  in  service  will  be 
at  liberty  to  serve  by  voluntary  enlistment,  but  not  in  lieu  of 
Conscripts,  except  as  substitutes. 

4.  Vohmteering  is  not  stopped  by  the  Conscript  Bill.  By 
section  13,  persons  liahle  as  Conscripts  may  volunteer  in  any 
company  now  in  service.  You  are  referred  specially  to  Regu- 
lations 8  to  11  inclusl\e.  I'he  act  approved  December  11th, 
1861,  providing  for  the  jtayment  of  bounty  to  volunteers  for 
the  war  continues  lu  torco. 


1862.]  State  Convention.  ',      ,3 

5.  Militia  officers  l)etweeu   18  and   35  arc  embraced   by  the 
Conscription  Act. 

The  quota  of  each    State,    under  e.xissting   laws,   vill  be  jril 
liable  to  military  duty  under  the  Act  of  April  16th. 

I  enclose  a  copy  of  the  Act  and  Regulations  established  for 
carrying  it  into  effect. 

Very  respectfully. 

Your  obedient  servant, 

GEO.  W.  RANDOLPH, 

Secretary  of  War. 


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